UK man charged with Indian student Anuj Bidve's murder

A 20-year-old Briton has been charged with the murder of Indian student Anuj Bidve who was shot in the head at point-blank range a day after Christmas.

Bidve, 23, was walking with his other Indian friends towards Manchester city center, where they were stopped by a man who began a short conversation with the victim before taking out a handgun and blasting him at close range. Greater Manchester Police said Kiaran Mark Stapleton, from Ordsall, had been charged with the murder, The Telegraph reports.

The announcement came as two British police officers flew out to India to meet Bidve's family. A total of five people have been arrested by police hunting the killer.

A 16-year-old boy and two 17-year-old boys arrested over the murder have been released on bail pending further inquiries. Senior officers described the murder of Bidve as "horrific" and a 50,000 pounds reward was put up by police to help catch the killer.

According to a Facebook page set up in Bidve's memory, he "was killed for not answering a simple question - "What''s the time?" Police, however, has not yet disclosed what was said between the killer and his victim.